Current methods used measure macroscopic parameters (∈r and μr) include transmission line/reflection line, open-ended coaxial probe, free space, and resonant cavity.
Each of these methods has limitations such as relying on measuring the scattering parameters (S-parameters) which include the reflection coefficient and the transmission coefficient to derive parameters. Further, materials must be handled (introduce additional errors) to arrive at the macroscopic parameters. All the previous methods are plagued with air gaps effect which skew results with an exception of the free space method which must rely on having transmission coefficients. (i.e. the Material Under Test (MUT) must be handled). Also the current free space employed methods are dependent on the incident angles. An error in this angle will yield the wrong result and as such sensitivity charts must be included.
The technique discussed herein does not require handling of any materials and as such it can be used under hostile environment and any temperature. When combining both reflection coefficients from P-wave and s-wave, the angle dependency vanishes. The novel technique disclosed herein mitigates and reduces the common randomness more so than the previously available methods. When the same randomness values are factored, the novel method provides a more accurate answer on the order of tenfold.